3 Wildly Different Events Made Hennessy the Star of Tales of the Cocktail

Presented by

At any given moment during the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s big New Orleans festival a few weeks ago, there were multiple events featuring the biggest names in the spirits industry. Which makes it all the more impressive that Hennessy cut through the noise and stood out.

This didn’t happen by accident. Hennessy planned three distinct events to demonstrate how great cognac can be enjoyed in a wide range of settings and cocktails. Showing off cognac’s versatility is a nice talking point, but turning that concept into a variety of can’t-miss events is no easy task.

Cognac In Its Most Elegant Form

Hennessy wanted to spend Tales of the Cocktail showing how premium cognac can fit into any cocktail occasion, from the highly formal to the most loose. They started on the more upscale end of the spectrum, hosting a Spirited Dinner at the swank and iconic Restaurant R’evolution. Cognac cocktails were expertly paired with mouthwatering Cajun and Creaole dishes.

Hennessy Cleans Up Well

The cocktail menu included inspired originals and dressed-up classics. Guests could enjoy a Vieux Carré elevated by Hennessy V.S.O.P X.O or a Champs-Elysees, which featured a genius mix of Hennessy, rainwater madeira, walnut oil and star anise. Everyone at the intimate gathering also had the chance to fully appreciate premium expressions by sipping them neat.

How to Cool Down with Cognac

Tales of the Cocktail attendees had the opportunity to enjoy cognac in a much different environment a couple of days later. Hennessy hosted a pool party at the Hotel Le Marais right in the heart of the French Quarter. The cocktails available were as refreshing as the setting itself. The couple-hundred guests, who showed up even though rain was in the forecast, got to sample French 75s, Hennessy Coladas and a special on-draft Sazerac.

And the Winner Is … Hennessy

One of the biggest highlights of Tales of the Cocktail is the Spirited Awards. But the actual ceremony wasn’t necessarily the best place to see who won, since Hennessy’s pool party was also the official 2019 Screening Party of the Spirited Awards. It seemed like the guests were perfectly content to follow the results while sipping refreshing cocktails by the pool.

Cognac Has a Place in Dive Bars, Too

You don’t have to save high-quality cognac for special occasions, like fancy dinners and pool parties. Cognac can also be your go-to spirit when you’re kicking back at your favorite dive bar. Hennessy took over Alibi on Saturday night to showcase the casual side of cognac.

Why Go Anywhere Without Cognac Cocktails?

Even with all the entertainment options offered on a Saturday night during Tales of the Cocktail, people still packed into Alibi to drink Hennessy Gingers, Sazeracs and beer-and-shot specials. A couple of things were clear by the end of the night: Cognac belongs in every dive bar, and no one had a better time at Tales of the Cocktail than Hennessy.